The Sport Integrity Australia legislation defines integrity as the ‘manifestation of the ethics and values that promote community confidence in sport’. There are two primary ways the integrity of sport can be compromised: threats to fair and honest sport performance and threats to positive sporting experiences.

A failure to manage integrity threats can lead to significant consequences for an organisation, members and participants, including reputational and financial damage and possible criminal liability. Legislation, standards and best practices around managing integrity threats are evolving and emerging.

An integrity framework outlines how an organisation identifies, analyses and manages existing and emerging integrity threats. It is a collection of policies which apply to all involved with the organisation and the sport. Examples include a member protection policy and an anti-doping policy. However, a robust integrity framework alone cannot eliminate all integrity threats. Therefore, it is critical that the integrity framework goes beyond documents and is an embedded cultural practice throughout the organisation.

Boards have a responsibility to protect and maintain integrity in their sport and to provide safe, ethical and inclusive sporting environments. Directors have an obligation to be aware of policies and practices which may undermine integrity within their organisation. For all integrity matters, ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ is not a sufficient response.

The board must regularly review the effectiveness of the organisation’s integrity framework, monitor developments in integrity, and act to continually protect the sport, the organisation and its participants. This includes ensuring the board follows best practice, promotes a culture of integrity, and complies with legislative and regulatory requirements.